Seven cases of histologically proven genital tuberculosis (TB) encount
ered at the National Taiwan University Hospital in the past 16 years w
ere reviewed, From a total of 54,576 gynecologic specimens submitted f
or pathologic examination, the occurrence of genital TB was 0.01%. Of
these seven patients, one suffered from primary infertility and one fr
om secondary infertility. The patient with primary infertility had bee
n married for 29 years. The patient with secondary infertility underwe
nt a tuboplasty due to bilateral hydrosalpinx. Genital TB was not diag
nosed preoperatively in any of the seven cases. The preoperative diagn
oses included: postmenopausal spotting, ovarian malignancy, cervicitis
, ectopic pregnancy and hydrosalpinx with secondary infertility. This
review suggests that genital TB is becoming rare in Taiwan. It is diff
icult to diagnose from clinical symptoms and is usually discovered on
pathologic examination.